Mental Health Educational Resources
To be an effective advocate or self-advocate, one needs to make the best use possible of available tools and support resources. The following are just a handful of suggestions for places to turn for information during one's own advocacy efforts..
Mental Health Consumer Rights
- The American Psychological Association (APA) offers a Mental Health Patient's Bill of Rights or in their other words, Principles for the Provision of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services. Topics covered include accountability, parity, confidentiality, and treatment review.
Online Psychological Testing Tools
Important! When using these types of resources for diagnostic purposes of any kind, please keep in mind that they are not to be used as a replacement for professional advice. They are instead to be used as an aid or general guide when talking to your doctor(s). If a professional refuses to allow you to present results from this type of resource when it comes from a reputable source, it could very well be time to find another doctor.
- In trying to find an online resource for the 16-question Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (QIDS-SR), the Web4Health Interactive (Psychological) Health Tool Directory appeared high in the returned search results. Topics addressed include ADHD, anxiety and panic disorders, bipolar disorder, and depression.
- One Wired News article offers a free 50-question test focused on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). According to Wired, the test was originally created by psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Centre as way to measure the extent of autistic traits in adults.
Terminology (Vocabulary Lists)
- The UK's Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities offers a Wordbank that provides a detailed list of words used when discussing mental health and learning disabilities.
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